MOVIES: [500] Days of Spider-Man!

Adding fuel to the rumors of Joseph Gordon-Leavitt taking on the mantle of Peter Parker/The Amazing Spider-Man is the news that [500] Days of Summer director Marc Webb has been signed to direct the next Spider-Man movie.

Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Matt Tolmach, president of Columbia Pictures, said, “At its core, Spider-Man is a small, intimate human story about an everyday teenager that takes place in an epic super-human world. The key for us as we sought a new director was to identify filmmakers who could give sharp focus to Peter Parker’s life. We wanted someone who could capture the awe of being in Peter’s shoes so the audience could experience his sense of discovery while giving real heart to the emotion, anxiety, and recklessness of that age and coupling all of that with the adrenaline of Spider-Man’s adventure. We believe Marc Webb is the perfect choice to bring us on that journey.”

Speaking of his new assignment, Webb said, “This is a dream come true and I couldn’t be more aware of the challenge, responsibility, or opportunity. Sam Raimi’s virtuoso rendering of Spider-Man is a humbling precedent to follow and build upon. The first three films are beloved for good reason. But I think the Spider-Man mythology transcends not only generations but directors as well. I am signing on not to ‘take over’ from Sam. That would be impossible. Not to mention arrogant. I’m here because there’s an opportunity for ideas, stories, and histories that will add a new dimension, canvas, and creative voice to Spider-Man.”

Since Spider-Man has already been the subject of many takes – by writers ranging from Smilin’ Stan Lee to J. Michael Straczynski [Changeling, Babylon 5], the idea of a filmic reboot should come as no surprise. And with a director who is good with character development and sophisticated storytelling, things are looking good for the fourth Spider-Man film – whatever they call it. Now then, about young Mr. Gordon-Leavitt…